Expert Advice

Belt-Drive vs. Direct-Drive Turntables

If you have been doing research on turntables, perhaps looking to purchase your first turntable, you may have noticed that some models are classified as belt-drive turntables while others are referred to as direct-drive turntables. So what’s the difference, and which is better?

Powered speakers for turntables featured

Tips & Tricks

Best Powered Speakers to Pair With a Turntable

If you’re just getting started with vinyl, a quality pair of powered speakers provides a solid foundation for a system you can grow with over time. Upgrading your speakers can enhance your vinyl listening experience. Let’s take a closer look at three great brands that offer good powered speakers for turntables. Assuming you have an entry-level turntable in the $200-$500 range, any of these speaker sets will help you build a great-sounding system.

Tips & Tricks

Turntable Buyer's Guide

If you are new to vinyl collecting and playback, we recommend starting at the beginning and read through. If you are already well-versed in the turntable world, you may want to skip to the advanced or features sections.

Pro-Ject Debut Pro components out of box

Tips & Tricks

Pro-Ject Automat A1 Turntable Setup Guide

Setting up your Pro-Ject PRO turntable will be fun and go smoothly if you prepare for everything you’ll need in advance. We hope this guide enables you to be spinning some vinyl and enjoying music faster than you expected.

Tips & Tricks

6 Accessories Vinyl Enthusiasts Can't Live Without

Just as guitarists collect effects pedals and cyclists attach GPS units to their handlebars, we vinyl enthusiasts love our accessories. Over time, many accessories start to feel just as important as our turntables and record collections.

Tips & Tricks

How to Clean Vinyl Records and Care For Them Properly

As vinyl enthusiasts can attest, enjoying music to its fullest depends on three factors: the equipment you choose, how well you care for it, and how you treat your records. To avoid damaging your records, you’ve got to pamper them. Treat your vinyl right, and you’ll enjoy crystal clear sound every time.

Tips & Tricks

How to Clean Your Turntable Stylus (And Why You Should)

If your stylus has dirt or dust on it, it can transfer those contaminants to every record you play. Over time, a dirty stylus can damage your vinyl, especially when the gunk it leaves on your records burrows deep into the grooves and hardens.

Tips & Tricks

Pro-Ject Debut PRO Turntable Setup Guide

Setting up your Pro-Ject PRO turntable will be fun and go smoothly if you prepare for everything you’ll need in advance. We hope this guide enables you to be spinning some vinyl and enjoying music faster than you expected.

Tips & Tricks

What is a Phono Preamp?

With the resurgence of vinyl over the last several years, a whole new generation is getting into turntables. With so much “plug and play” technology, we find that people who are younger or have never used a turntable before expect to that a turntable will just play, or at least simply connect to their existing stereo system or speakers. What they’re forgetting is one of the most critical pieces to any vinyl playback system — a phono preamp.

Tips & Tricks

Manual vs. Automatic Turntables

If you are shopping around for a new turntable and have done a little research, you may be wondering about the differences between manual turntables and automatic turntables. Before you make a purchase, it’s important to understand how each of these systems work and the benefits and drawbacks of each.